Conference misery::feline_v1

    For some strange reason....I can't picture
    a Llama laying on my living room rug amongst
    my cats.   I can picture it now...dear you
    know how we take stray cats in....how about
    a big beautiful Llama. 
    
    Is it common for Llama's to live with the
    other barn pets.  I can only picture Llama's
    in zoos.  But they are sooooo cute!!!
    
    Sandy

    There is a family in New Hampshire who raise Llama's. They
    use them for taking trips into the mountains. This way they
    don't have to pack pack but let the Llama's do it.
    
    These folks have a regular guide business.  They take over night
    and longer trips.  The food, cooking stove, utinsels etc as well
    as all bedding is carried by the Llama's.  Can't you just see some
    unsuspecting hiker/climber in the mountains coming face to face
    with a Llama?  Sure would make some story.
    
    I read the article in YANKEE magazine a couple of years ago. I
    think the family lives in Hancock, or Fitzwilliam, in that area
    somewhere.
    
    Barbara

    One of the farms near me is well known for their large family of
    llamas.  Quite often I'll walk by and the cats, dogs and llamas are all
    together in a heap in the barn area.  So cute!   I guess the only thing
    about llamas is they are supposed to like to spit at people.  Maybe a
    personal statement on their part.........
    
                                         Denise

    I thought that was camels that spit at people?  Aren't Camels and
    Llamas related?
    

      Yeah...Camels, Llamas, Alpacas, and there's another similar one in
    South America who's name escapes me at the time are ALL members of the
    same family...
    
      I don't find this TOO unusual, except for the scarcity of Llamas in
    the U.S... 
    
      But the strangeness of the different animals isn't that unusual. I've
    had a desire to own one of those miniature Vietnamese Pigs ever since I
    saw the first one...they get no larger than a Beagle, and can be
    trained to use a litter box....in fact they would PREFER a litter box
    since contrary to popular belief a Pig is an extremely clean animal. 
    I've seen articles about them, and one that comes to mind had a photo
    of two of these little pigs curled up on a sofa with 2 Golden
    Reetrievers and 4 cats....all in a ball of fur 'n flesh....it was
    difficult to pick out who was who. Pigs are SMART animals too...and can
    be leash-trained very easily...
    
    JM

    
      I just remembered the other camel-related animal...it's called a
    Guanaco...it's similar to the Llama and Alpaca...about 4 feet at the
    shoulder..
    
    John Mc

    Re .4 - Yes they are related, and YES, they can all spit.
    The spitting is a sign of annoyance, and they will spit
    at people, other camels/llamas, etc if they get annoyed enough.
    
    So, the moral is, don't piss off a llama/camel/alpaca etc! :-)
                                                                   

    re: .5 
    
    I work parttime at a pet store who just recently sold a potbellied pig.
    His name was Hooter and he was extremely smart and ALWAYS used his
    litterbox.  He was sold on Christmas Eve for $1499 to a gentleman in
    Tyngsboro.  Since then Hooter has been totally housebroken (yes folks
    he askes to go out to go potty) and he is leash trained.  He thinks
    he's a lap dog.  Good boy Hooter!
    
    Lisa
    

	We saw a number of llamas at the Sandwich Fair this Fall (Sandwich,NH)
	and one of the myths they were trying to dispel is that they spit at
	people.  They apparently can and do emit a foul green acidic liquid
	when they spit, but for whatever reason they rarely do it to people.
	Makes me glad I'm not a llama!

	Most of them were shy but there were a few who seemed more curious
	about us "animals" and my husband had the front of his sweater and
	his face inspected by one male llama in great detail.  I guess he
	smelled interesting, to a llama anyway.


	Jan

    
    
    	Lisa,
    
    	You work at the pet store at the Pheasant Lane Mall??!
    	I was just going to tell Nancy about that pig when I read
    	your note...
    
    	Heck, we've probably bumped into each other many times and
    	never knew it.  Every time I'm at that mall (which is quite
    	often) I go into the pet store to look at the puppies and 
    	kitties.....
    
    	=)
    
    	JJ
    

      Re .8
    
    
       I LOVE IT!!  I want one of those little guys in the worst way...
    but $1500.00??? WOW!! Maybe I should buy a pair of them and RAISE
    them??
    Only problem with that is that I'd probably get so attached to them I
    wouldn't be able to sell 'em... And since we already have 11 dogs 'n 5
    cats, my wife'd probably leave me.....
    
      Oh, well...maybe I'll win "Megabucks"???
    
    
     John McD

    re.10
    
    JJ,
    
    Next time you're there ask for me!  I'd be so excited to meet someone
    from the feline file in purrson.  I generally work Tuesday nights.  My
    hours have been cut back due to the current budget crunch.  There are
    only two of us on that night so I should be easy to find.  BTW -  next
    week should be really easy since the other employee is going to be a
    male.  TEEHEETEEHEE.  If you're lucky I'll even let you play with a
    puppy or two (no kitten this time of year :(  )
    
    Lisa

re: .8

I had friends who used to keep a regular pig as a pet...when she needed to
go out, she simply walked up to the glass patio door and slapped the end of
her nose onto the glass - snorted in to form a "seal" and then swung her head
aside to open the door.  Once outside, Samantha would repeat the movement to
close the door.  They never locked the door during the day and she always
remembered to close it behind herself.  Sam was quite a gal - a very big gal,
but quite a gal, and very, very smart.

by the way, pig poop is great garden fertilizer.

LOVE the name hooter....a smiler for sure!

    re: .8 - I MET HOOTER!!!!!  He was at the Pheasant Lane Mall!  What
    a little cutie.  That curlique tail went a mile a minute.
      Nancy

    
    	Yep, that sounds like Hooter....I remember the first time
    	I saw him....I was at the Christmas store across the mall and
    	saw this HUGE crowd around this little cage type thing in the
    	front of the pet store.  So I went over thinking it was a 
    	puppy.  Imagine my surprise when I saw it was a pig!  He
    	was a happy fella.  I'm so glad he found a home....
    
    	Lisa,
    
    	I'll keep Tuesdays in mind.... =)
    

    Many of the Miniature Horse breeders from the New England area also
    raise the Pot-Bellied Pigs. From what I hear folks saying they seem
    to get alot of enjoyment from them. As with most of the purebred
    critters I think you can get a much better price from a breeder
    than you can at a pet shop.
    
    Some of the Mini Horse breeders also raise Llamas ..and I was under
    the impression they are a small (mini) version. ..Don't know if
    this is a separate breed or just the larger version "bred down
    to size".
    
    Linda